by Gene DeWeese
Without hesitation, Spock turned and vaulted over the handrail. As his booted feet hit the deck behind the navigator's station, Crandall was already crashing into Sulu, knocking the helmsman from his chair. In the same instant, Ensign Reems, leaping to one side to get a clear shot past Kirk in the spinning command chair, fired his phaser, hitting Crandall squarely, sending him sprawling limply onto Sulu, who was struggling to get to his feet and back to the helm.
Spock, taking one long step, leaned over Sulu's empty chair and stabbed at the buttons that would implement the program to raise the deflectors and initiate acceleration to warp speed.
In that same instant, the first of the Hoshan lasers fired.
A fraction of a second later, the deflectors only starting to build, the first Zeator lasers fired.
Within two seconds, all lasers in both fleets were firing, and the Enterprise shook violently as the deflectors absorbed what energy they could and the engines strove to accelerate out of range.
Within fifteen seconds, they were in warp drive and it was over.
A comprehensive damage report took a bit longer. Safely at the edge of sensor range, listening on all subspace frequencies but broadcasting on none, the Enterprise rested, waiting for the verdict.
"We're no' quite defenseless, Captain," Chief Engineer Scott said from the engineering deck, "but almost. The deflectors were seriously overloaded, trying to build up while under attack. Repairs are possible, but they'll take a wee bit o' time."
"How much, Scotty?"
"Several days, Captain. Each generator has to be torn down and rebuilt from scratch. But that's not the worst o' the problems."
"What's the worst, then?"
"The dilithium crystals, Captain, the one thing we canna replace or repair. They're on the ragged edge. We can use them, but only sparingly. If ye need more than warp four or more than half power from the phaser banks, they'll be gone."
"Warp four should be enough to keep us out of reach."
"Aye, provided they don't gi' up the ghost altogether."
"See that they don't, Scotty."
"Aye, Captain, I'll do what I can."
"Dr. McCoy?"
"One broken arm, already being set. Beyond that, some bumps and bruises, but nothing serious."
"Lieutenant Uhura?"
"All subspace channels functional, sir."
"And the Hoshan and Zeator?"
"No longer broadcasting on any frequency."
"Mr. Spock, what are they doing?"
"They have formed a single formation, Captain. They appear to be trying to follow us at their maximum speed, warp two-point-five."
"Appear to be following?"
"They are duplicating our own departing heading almost precisely."
Kirk grimaced. "And this time, we don't dare let them catch us. Mr. Sulu, lay in a course to our original point of entry into this sector."
"Aye-aye, sir. We're going to look for the gate again?"
"If that's what it was, yes. We don't appear to be in a position to do much good around here, or to look very far afield for whoever built it, unless Mr. Scott can do something about the dilithium crystals. Security?"
"Tomson here, Captain. Dr. Crandall is confined to a detention cell, as ordered."
"Any trouble getting him there?"
"He offered no resistance, sir, but some of the crew got a little ugly when they saw him."
"I'm not surprised. Keep a close watch on him, just to make sure no one tries to do something foolish."
"Very good, sir. I'll see that no one gets to him."
"Thank you, Lieutenant. Now, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, Mr. Scott, as soon as you can spare the time, I think we'd better have a few words about our options."
Dr. Leonard McCoy shook his head and scowled, not at any of the other three around the briefing-room table but at himself. "I'm not saying I should have predicted what happened," he said, "but I should have guessed that something like it could have happened."
"No more than I, Bones," Kirk said. "None of us had any way of knowing what was going on inside his head, not even the computer. From all indications, he was the last person you would expect to turn suicidal, least of all the way he did." He shrugged. "Maybe it was all the self-destruction he saw in the Hoshan and Zeator. Maybe it's contagious in some way."
"Maybe for people like Crandall!" McCoy growled.
"Be on the alert anyway, Bones."
"Blast it, Jim—" McCoy began but then subsided.
"You're right. I'll have my staff keep an eye out for symptoms. So far, there's nothing beyond the tension you could expect, given the circumstances."
"Yes, gentlemen," Kirk said, looking briefly at each of the three, "the circumstances. Any thoughts as to why we were attacked?"
"Only the obvious one, Captain," Spock said. "As you yourself have pointed out, the methods by which many of the worlds in this sector were destroyed are beyond the technology of either Hoshan or Zeator. Apparently the significance of this fact was not lost on them, and their actions, viewed in a narrow perspective, were only logical."
Kirk sighed in agreement. "Once we proved that neither of them could have destroyed those worlds, they jumped to the conclusion that, since we had a superior technology, we were the ones responsible. Yes, Spock, the thought had crossed my mind even before the attack, but I tried to keep an open mind. Scotty? Bones? You agree?"
"For all the good it does, I do," McCoy said, and Scott nodded.
"Which still leaves the question of who did destroy all those worlds," Kirk said. "And whoever it was, are they still around? Are they the same ones who built the gate? If, that is, the gates were indeed built and are not, after all, a natural phenomenon. I know we've been over this ground before, but the condition of the Enterprise and the presence of the Hoshan and Zeator lynch mob change the picture somewhat. Before, we were free to conduct a search throughout hundreds of thousands of cubic parsecs with full power available to the warp engines and the deflectors. Now, unless we find a source of dilithium, we're severely limited in both range and safety."
"Aye," Scott said, "and I canna guarantee the crystals will hold up forever, even under limited use."
"But even if they fail," Kirk said, "we would still have warp drive."
"Aye, up to about warp two-point-five, but no' immediately. Until I could pull the crystals and wire around them, we would have no' but impulse power."
"So, gentlemen, you see the situation. Any thoughts?"
"Obviously," McCoy said, "we see if the gate has come back."
"Agreed. Anything else? I can't be sure, of course, but I'd be willing to bet that, once our two warring friends can't locate us back there where we left them, they'll come back to the area where the gate was and keep watch for us."
"Logical," Spock said. "And once they establish a sufficiently dense perimeter around it, we could not, in our present condition, penetrate it unharmed."
McCoy's scowl deepened. "You're saying it could be now or never? If we don't find the gate now, we'll never find it?"
"Precisely, Doctor," Spock said. "However, the odds of finding our way back to known space have never been favorable. Recent developments have only increased already high odds against us. However, there is one possibility that has not yet been mentioned."
"Yes, Mr. Spock?" Kirk prompted.
"You will recall that, during our initial explorations in the immediate region of our arrival point, there was one planet from which anomalous readings were obtained. Deep underground, our sensors gave readings that, while not indicative of true life, at least proved that something was there—a sophisticated power source as well as something that, conceivably, could have been some unknown form of organic computer."
"I remember," Kirk said. "I also remember that you were as puzzled as I have ever seen you. And that there was no way to get more information except by beaming down into totally sealed-off areas through miles of solid rock. With the options we had then, it wasn't that attractive an
alternative. With the more limited options now before us, are you suggesting it warrants a second look? Including beaming down?"
"Precisely, Captain. The planet does not lie far from the course we must take to return to our arrival point, so we will lose little time. In addition, considering the relative proximity of such a totally inexplicable phenomenon to the equally inexplicable phenomenon of the gate itself, it is only logical to assume at least the possibility of a connection."
"A control center of some kind?" Kirk asked. "Customs point for new arrivals? Automated ticket dispenser?"
"As I have said before, Captain, with no more information than we currently have, anything is possible."
"And considering the luck we've had trying to locate the gate on our own so far," Kirk said with a grimace, "even the remotest possibility of gaining new information would be worth the risk."
"My thoughts exactly, Captain. I must admit, however, that those readings have never been far from my mind. Whatever produced them has been, from the beginning, a most intriguing and frustrating phenomenon."
McCoy shook his head, a faint smile appearing for the first time since the four had entered the room. "Spock, you could be being eaten alive, and you'd spend your last minutes trying to analyze the creature's digestive juices."
"Just because one's life may soon end, Doctor, is no reason to cease all attempts to learn."
Kirk laughed. "He's right, Bones. You never know what you'll find that might be useful. We'd all be dead ten times over if—"
"Captain." Sulu's voice came over the intercom. "Hoshan and Zeator ships coming into sensor range from ahead. It looks as if they've been waiting for us to come back this way."
"How many, Mr. Sulu?" Kirk shot back.
"Three so far, sir, one Zeator and two Hoshan."
"Can we slip past them without being detected?"
"Without knowing the precise range of their sensors, there's no way to tell. From the way they're separated—fourth ship, another Zeator, just came within sensor range."
"You were saying?"
"I was saying, they appear to be evenly spaced. If their sensor fields overlap, there's no way we can get through undetected."
"But even if they detect us, we can still outrun them."
"We can—as long as the crystals hold out."
"Assuming they detect us and follow, how much time would we have in the vicinity of the gate before they arrive?"
"At the maximum warp Mr. Scott says we're capable of, we would have roughly one standard day."
Standing abruptly, Kirk said, "We're on our way, Mr. Sulu. Scotty, get below and keep your fingers on the crystals' pulse. Mr. Spock, get back to your station and locate any gaps that exist in that sensor net. And if none exists, find the weakest spots and we'll see what we can do."
"I feel obliged to point out, Captain," Spock said as they left the room and strode toward the turbolift, "that even if we successfully penetrate the perimeter the Hoshan and Zeator have apparently established, we could be less successful in finding our way back out."
"Point taken, Mr. Spock. If it comes down to it, however, we are not totally helpless. Even with the phasers at only half power, we can still punch a hole through any perimeter they set up."
"We canna take them all on at once, Captain," Scott interrupted.
"Understood, Mr. Scott. With any luck, we won't have to. Just keep those crystals alive as long as you can."
Twenty minutes later, Spock looked up from his instruments. "They know something passed through their perimeter, Captain," he said, "but at the range we maintained, their sensors could not distinguish between a starship coasting with all drives shut down and a small asteroid. Even so, one ship has broken formation and is approaching us. To avoid them, we will have to engage warp drive, which, at this distance, they will be able to detect."
Kirk grimaced. "It was a good try. And we'll still have at least twenty-four hours. Ahead, Mr. Sulu, at maximum attainable warp factor. And Scotty—" He stopped, the grimace turning to a faint grin. "You know the drill, Scotty."
"Aye, Captain, I do." Scott's voice came from the engineering deck. "I'll do what I can."
Even before the Enterprise dropped out of warp drive, it was obvious there had been changes on the planet in their absence.
"The antimatter power source detected earlier is now fully operational, Captain," Spock announced.
"Weapons?"
"None detected as yet, Captain."
"Mr. Sulu, put up what deflectors we have and proceed on impulse power."
"Aye-aye, sir."
"Lieutenant Uhura, any subspace activity?"
"None, Captain."
"Continue monitoring all frequencies but maintain radio silence. Mr. Sulu, maximum magnification. Zero in on the spot directly above the energy source."
"Done, sir."
On the screen, the planet looked no different from before, no different from dozens of the other devastated worlds they had seen. Virtually airless and drenched in radiation, its surface was fused like something that had long ago emerged from some cosmic blast furnace. Not a trace of the original surface was visible through the planetwide scar tissue.
"Sensor activity, Captain," Spock said, leaning closer over his instruments. "We are being scanned by devices at least as sensitive as our own."
"All stop, Mr. Sulu! Spock, still no indication of weapons?"
"None, Captain."
"Could they be shielded? If their technology is superior to ours, could they have phasers or other weapons, undetectable behind shields?"
"Possible, Captain, but I detect no shielding of any kind at this time. Nor can I detect any openings in the five kilometers of rock above the power source. However, the sensors are now picking up definite life form readings."
"Similar to your earlier readings?"
"Negative, Captain. Those readings would not have registered at this distance. The present ones are quite—normal."
"How many? What type?"
"Impossible to tell at this range, Captain."
"And the sensors that are scanning us—whatever is down there is definitely aware of us?"
"Definitely, Captain."
"The gate people, sir?" Chekov wondered, glancing up from the navigation board.
"Or the ones who destroyed these worlds in the first place," Kirk murmured.
"Or both, Captain," Spock said. "Anyone possessing the technology to build the gates would in all probability also possess the technology to obliterate those worlds."
"Ever the optimist. Very well, they know we're here, so we might as well see if they want to talk. Lieutenant Uhura?"
"Transmitting on all frequencies, sir. No immediate response."
"Sensor scans strengthening, Captain," Spock said and then paused, his eyebrows arching minutely. "Their sensors appear to be affecting our own."
"What? In what way?"
"Our own readings are becoming more precise, Captain. It is as if our sensor probes were, in some way I cannot explain, being enhanced by theirs. Or, perhaps more accurately, ours may actually be riding on theirs to some extent."
"Could it be a trick? Could they be modifying our sensor probes? Feeding us false information?"
"It is conceivable, Captain, if their level of sophistication is sufficiently greater than our own. None of the enhanced readings, however, contradicts any information in the original readings."
"What do they tell us, then?"
"Nearly one thousand life forms are currently indicated, all roughly humanoid. There is still no evidence of weapons, nor of any shielding that might hide any weapons with which I am familiar."
"But it would at least be possible for them to hide weapons, not by shielding perhaps, but by falsifying the information our sensors are supposedly picking up?"
"Anything is possible, Captain," Spock said, not taking his eyes from his readouts. "And I now detect transporter activity, originating on the planet ahead."
"What?" Kirk's eyes
darted toward his first officer. "We're still far beyond transporter range, Mr. Spock."
"Far beyond our transporter range, Captain."
"Mr. Sulu, get us out of here!" Kirk snapped, realizing angrily that he had wasted valuable, perhaps crucial seconds with his almost automatic response to Spock's announcement.
"Aye-aye, sir."
But even as Sulu's fingers danced across the controls, Kirk knew that, this time, the seconds he might have gained would not have made any difference. These transporters, whoever was operating them, could not be escaped so easily. They must have been locked on virtually the instant Spock had detected them. Already he could feel not only the beginnings of the all-over tingle that indicated the transporting process itself had begun but something else, a chilling dampness he had never experienced before. And in front of him, the forms of Sulu and Chekov were already beginning to fade.
A moment later the entire bridge vanished into a swirling haze.
Chapter Seventeen
THE COMMAND CHAIR no longer beneath him, Kirk tumbled to an all-too-solid, plastic-smooth floor, only inches away from Sulu and a pair of crewmen he didn't recognize. Catching himself, he leaped to his feet, grasping for his communicator even as images of the huge, cavernous room that now surrounded him registered in his mind.
But the communicator was gone, as was the universal translator which, since the first encounter with the Hoshan, he had kept clipped to his belt as well.
In front of him, Sulu and the two crew members were scrambling to their feet, but even as they did, more began to materialize, but not in the silvery snowfall that was the trademark of Federation transporters. Instead, they appeared first as a hazy swirl of smoke, not unlike a condensed or focused version of the billowing mists that had marked the appearances and disappearances of Gary Seven, and for a moment the thought darted through Kirk's mind that perhaps the still unknown race that had trained Seven and sent him on his benevolent mission to twentieth-century earth might be involved here, not only with whomever or whatever was doing the transporting but with the gate that had brought them here in the first place.
But that possibility, he realized an instant later, was only speculation, something to blunt the shock of what he was seeing. A dozen feet away, Spock was slowly solidifying, and beyond him, Lieutenant Uhura, and to the left, Scott and Chekov. And in all the space between, dozens more of the crew were appearing, many lurching and crashing into one another as they tried to keep their balance. Just to Kirk's left, an ensign from security appeared, his empty hand extended in front of him as if holding a phaser, and in the distance, before his view was obscured by dozens more of the materializations, he spotted Lieutenant Tomson.
